Book excerpt: The Tennessee River Navigation System is one of the planned series of special technical reports recording the experience of TVA in planning and carrying out one of its major program. The report presents a comprehensive picture of the river's development for navigation including commercial, industrial, and recreational uses. The discussions are preceded by a historical outline tracing the use of the Tennessee River and its tributaries for navigation from the days of DeSoto to the inception of the TVA; they conclude with a summary of navigation investment costs. Appendixes provide supplemental data.